Vote shows Boehner's lack of control

House Republicans tried a fresh strategy Wednesday night: Go it alone on a spending bill.

The result was an embarrassing setback.

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Wednesday night’s rank-and-file rebuke of GOP leadership — with 48 Republicans bolting on a temporary spending bill — underscored the fact that the House Republican majority is still struggling to find unity on major spending bills. It also showed they still need Democratic votes to help them govern.

The pressure from an angry Speaker John Boehner didn’t work — he even threatened to strip committee assignments. Four dozen Republicans —mostly conservatives — wanted more cuts, and they just said no, creating an uncomfortable scene on the House floor as the funding bill failed on a 195-230 vote. Democrats showed a rare moment of unity in overwhelmingly opposing the continuing resolution, which would keep the government funded through Nov. 18.

Now, to prevent a government shutdown, Republicans will have to rewrite the bill and figure out how to get the votes.

GOP lawmakers and aides – including Appropriations Chair Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) – blamed Democrats for defeating the bill. Democrats, including Appropriations Ranking Democrat Norm Dicks, said they’d support the bill, but reversed course because of pressure from Democrats opposed to an offset that cut a subsidy for automobile manufacturers.

Rep. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), who sent a letter with more than 100 signers pressuring Speaker Boehner to drop that provision, said Boehner will have to cooperate with Democrats to push a stopgap measure across the finish line.

“He can’t pass this bill with his own members,” Peters said of Boehner. “He has basically 30-40 members in his caucus that are so extreme that they wouldn’t vote for this bill.”

Republican leadership knew they were heading for trouble when the day began. Tuesday night, they realized they didn’t have the votes, but opted to take it to the floor and try to get the votes Wednesday — and they came up short.

That underscores Boehner’s ongoing problem — he can’t rely on Republicans to stand with him if Democrats decide to unify against him.

Republican leadership aides say their hefty “no” caucus — folks who oppose their leadership no matter what — limited their options on the bill. Lawmakers and aides say Boehner may end of making an example of somebody in the GOP conference — though it’s not clear what the punishment will be — for defying him.

Michael Steel, Boehner’s spokesman, repeatedly said that Boehner and other Republican leaders “would continue to work on a responsible bill that can pass the House” following a leadership meeting in Boehner’s office just after the vote. Steel declined to say what that bill would look like or when it would come up for a vote.